David Campbell MacPherson was born in Scotland to John and Georgina MacPherson. He was living and working as a labourer in Darwin (his brother owned a lugger called the Flying Scotchman and was a trepanger before the war) prior to WWI. He travelled to Western Australia to enlist on 30 October 1914 at the age of 38. David embarked Melbourne, Victoria on board HMAT A40 Ceramic on 22 December 1914 with the 16th Battalion. Lance Corporal MacPherson was killed in action at Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey on 27 April 1915. His name appears on the Lone Pine Memorial, Turkey.